The Weapon Genius: Anything I Hold Can Kill-Chapter 20: The 24-Hour Mark

00:00:05

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Jin exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of the chair he sat on.

00:00:04

No one spoke.

No one moved.

00:00:03

It wasn't just fear—it was anticipation.

The system had ruled their lives for the past day. What happened next would define everything.

00:00:02

The glow of the emergency lights flickered.

A few people clenched their fists, bracing for something they couldn't name.

00:00:01

And then—

A single notification flashed across every screen.

🔻 [System Update Complete. New Parameters Applied.]

Then—

🔻 [24 Hours Have Passed.]

🔻 [You Have Survived for 24 Hours.]

For the second time in a day, the world itself seemed to pause.

Then, it spoke.

"...Interesting."

"You lasted longer than expected."

"Some of you embraced what was given."

"Some of you hesitated."

"Some did nothing at all."

A pause.

"But... you survived."

"And survival is proof of potential."

A moment of silence.

Then—

"You may have thought this was temporary."

"It is not."

"There is no returning to what was before."

"The world no longer belongs to those who wait."

"If you wish to grow stronger, the opportunity is now yours."

"You will find that more has changed than you realize."

"A clearer understanding of your limits."

"A deeper insight into the abilities that set you apart."

"And the means to improve."

A flicker of text appeared before Jin's eyes.

🔻 [System Features Expanded.]

🔻 [Stats Unlocked.]

🔻 [Skills Unlocked.]

🔻 [Trials Updated.]

🔻 [Shop Access Granted.]

The voice continued.

"You will need them."

"If you hope to endure what comes next, you will do well to use what has been granted to you."

"A Trial may be survived by chance."

"A life cannot."

"There are rewards for those who endured."

"And greater rewards for those who acted."

"You did not choose this world."

"But you exist in it now."

"It will not stop."

"And neither will you."

A pause.

"...For now? Rest. Recover."

A final, almost absentminded thought.

"...It won't last."

The system's voice faded.

No more words.

No more warnings.

Just silence.

A heavy, suffocating silence.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

They were all waiting—for something, anything.

For the lights to flicker.

For another quest—no, another Trial—to appear.

For some clear, immediate sign that the world had changed again.

But nothing happened.

The world remained the same.

And yet, it wasn't.

Jin exhaled through his nose, letting the moment settle.

A few feet away, a man slumped forward, his hands covering his face. He let out a quiet, tired laugh—not humor, just disbelief.

A woman sat against the wall, knees pulled to her chest.

A whisper broke the silence.

"...It's not over."

No one answered.

Because they all knew it was true.

Some had clung to the hope that this was just a test. That if they endured for long enough, the system would shut down. That life could go back to how it was.

But it wouldn't.

The system had made that clear.

There was no returning to what was before.

And now, they had to decide what that meant.

Jin's fingers curled into his palm.

The weight of it all pressed against him.

The system had spoken directly into their minds. Its words didn't need time to sink in. They hit instantly, perfectly.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

And yet—he felt like he needed a moment to process it.

He exhaled slowly, pushing himself to his feet.

"I need some air."

Echo glanced up from where he sat, brow raised slightly.

"...Inside the building?"

Jin let out a short breath, almost a laugh. "Something like that."

Joon stretched out his legs, rolling his shoulders with a tired grunt. "Yeah. Go clear your head or whatever."

None of them questioned it.

Everyone had their own way of dealing with things.

Jin turned away from the group, stepping past the exhausted survivors still gathered near the entrance.

He needed a moment.

Just a moment.

As he walked down the dim hall, away from the others, his screen flickered to life.

🔻 [System Update Applied.]

🔻 [User Data Registered.]

🔻 [Displaying New Information...]

A translucent interface hovered before him, casting a faint glow against the dim hallway.

Then—

🔻 [A New Era Has Begun. Would You Like a Tutorial?]

Jin stared at the words.

His instinct was to ignore it. To figure things out on his own.

But after what he'd seen—the way the system controlled everything—he knew better.

The system didn't explain things unless you asked.

And if this was his one chance at a proper explanation...

He exhaled slowly.

"...Yeah."

🔻 [Acknowledged. Initiating Basic System Overview.]

The text faded.

Then—

A small, glowing figure materialized in front of him.

Not human. Not a machine. Something in between.

It hovered in the air, shifting constantly—almost like a flickering error.

Then, it spoke.

"Welcome, user."

Its voice was neutral, emotionless. Neither male nor female.

"You have been granted access to the system's full functionality. This tutorial will guide you through the basics."

Jin crossed his arms. "...You're not the same voice from before."

"I am not."

Short. Factual.

"What are you, then?"

"I am a system assistant. A temporary function created to provide guidance. I will not persist beyond this tutorial."

"...Right."

No unnecessary conversation. Just pure function.

It wasn't surprising.

But somehow, it still made him uneasy.

"Let's begin."

First, you will now be able to view your Stats."

The figure flickered—his screen changed.

A breakdown of his attributes appeared.

[Status Window]

Name: Jin Yeong

Age: 27

Occupation: Office Worker

Class:[None]

Title: [None]

Rank: [Unassigned]

[Attributes]

Strength: C

Agility: C+

Endurance: B-

Perception: B

Intelligence: B-

Willpower: A-

Potential: ∞

Jin frowned slightly.

The stats weren't bad, but they weren't great either.

"...What do these mean exactly?"

"Your attributes reflect your natural capabilities. They may improve over time through training, combat experience, or other means."

Jin's eyes narrowed at the last part. "Other means?"

The assistant did not elaborate.

Of course.

But something else caught his attention.

"...Potential?"

The figure flickered for a split second.

Then—

"...That is an anomaly."

Jin's stomach tensed slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"No user has ever displayed an undefined potential rating."

A pause.

"Further analysis required."

Jin's fingers twitched.

A part of him wanted to press it for answers.

But something told him he wouldn't get any.

"...Move on."

The assistant complied instantly.

"Next, you may now view your Skills."

The screen shifted.

A new category appeared.

[Skills Window]

🔹 Primary Skill: Limitless Weapon Potential

Description: The ability to wield weapons at their highest potential.

Subskills:

Instincts – Enhances reaction speed and adaptability in combat.

Bloodlust (Dormant) – ???

Jin exhaled slowly.

Nothing surprising here.

But before he could ask about the dormant subskill, the system assistant continued.

"You have also completed a Trial that qualifies you for a reward."

Jin's brows furrowed.

"What?"

🔻 [Would You Like to Claim Your Reward for the Purge Trial?]

Jin stiffened slightly.

"...I didn't kill anyone after that Trial was given."

The assistant did not hesitate.

"All actions taken within the designated period were recorded."

Jin's breath slowed.

That meant—

"The monster I killed before..."

"Correct. That kill has been registered toward the Purge Trial."

Jin stayed silent for a moment.

He wasn't sure if he felt relieved or uneasy.

The system didn't seem to care what he killed.

Only that he had done it.

🔻 [Would You Like to Receive Your Reward?]

Jin exhaled through his nose.

"...Yeah."

🔻 [Reward Granted. New Skill Acquired.]

A second skill category appeared beneath his primary one.

🔹 Additional Skill: Adaptive Combat (New)

Description: Subconsciously analyzes an opponent's attack patterns and identifies weaknesses.

Effect: The longer a battle continues, the more efficiently the user reacts.

Jin's eyes flicked over the description.

So that explained it.

Why he had reacted so well under pressure.

Why he had been able to match an opponent's rhythm without thinking.

"...This was already working before I even knew I had it."

The assistant flickered slightly.

"Subskills may manifest naturally before they are officially recognized."

Which meant...

The system had always been influencing him.

Even before he realized it.

He swallowed down the thought and shifted his focus.

"...What else?"

"The Shop is now available."

A new screen flickered open.

Unlike the others, this one had rows of blank spaces, each with a faint icon that hadn't yet loaded.

But the first category caught his attention.

🔻 [Weapons.]

The system assistant continued.

"The shop inventory is unique to each user. It is determined by your abilities and classification."

Jin's gaze flicked back to the screen.

Rows of weapons slowly loaded in, each with a price beside them.

[Basic Melee Weapons]

Steel Baton – 100 P

Tactical Knife – 250 P

Reinforced Pipe – 180 P

[Enhanced Weapons]

Mono-Edged Dagger – 800 P

Weighted Combat Staff – 1,200 P

Carbon-Steel Greatsword – 3,500 P

[Legendary Weapons]

??? – ???

??? – ???

??? – ???

Jin's eyes twitched.

"...The hell is this?"

"The shop will update as you progress. Currency is earned through Trials and combat achievements as well as killing beast or humans."

Jin sighed. Of course. Nothing was free.

But at least now he understood how the system worked.

Or at least—most of it.

Then—

"The Leaderboard is also available for viewing."

Jin blinked.

"...Leaderboard?"

The assistant didn't elaborate.

Instead, his screen changed again.

🔻 [Would You Like to View the Current National Rankings?]

Jin exhaled.

He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he saw.